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Montero's bat starting to come around

Montero's bat starting to come around

9/4/13: Miguel Montero slaps a double that scores Matt Davidson to make it a 3-2 ballgame in the bottom of the second

By Steve Gilbert
/
MLB.com |

PHOENIX -- There's no doubt that 2013 has been a struggle at the plate for D-backs catcher Miguel Montero.

Since coming off the disabled list on Aug. 26, Montero has swung the bat better, hitting .321 in seven games since return from the disabled list. But because of his struggles early in the year, it still leaves him at .235 after going 1-for-4 with an RBI double in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Blue Jays in 10 innings.

When hitters struggle it usually is a result of either their approach at the plate or their mechanics.

"I think he's gotten away from the approach part because he's not happy with his mechanics and doesn't feel like he's on time," D-backs manager Kirk Gibson said referring to Montero's timing. "So you start to analyze and look at your film and what can I change and you try a lot of different things and I think that's where he's at."

Montero was hitting .300 on April 10 before suffering through a terrible slump that dropped his average to .180 on May 17.

It's a hole he's been trying to dig out of ever since.

"Sometimes people have years like that and you don't really get connected," Gibson said.

At times it looks like Montero is over-swinging, but Gibson said that's not necessarily always the case.

"His swing is longer, so it looks like he's over-swinging," Gibson said.